NEWS ROUNDUP: Illinois Residents Flee State In Droves…AND MORE

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the state has lost more people than any other during the past year.

New data shows that the population in Illinois is on the decline. According to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday, Illinois has lost more people than any other state over the span of a year. Between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016, 37,508 people left Illinois. Many of those individuals relocated to other states. “In order to reverse this trend, we need structural reforms to create more jobs, lower property taxes, improve our schools, and enact term limits to fix our broken political system,” said a spokeswoman for Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner. “The longer the majority party stalls and refuses to compromise, backing the status quo, trends like this will continue.” If the population continues to get smaller, the state could possibly lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Other states that include Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania experienced a population decline as well. Read more.

Texas Axes Planned Parenthood From Medicaid Program

State health officials in Texas have decided to ax Planned Parenthood out of the state’s Medicaid program. On Tuesday, a final legal notice was issued to cut the organization’s Medicaid funding. Planned Parenthood garnered $3.1 million under the program. Within the next 30 days, the money will be taken away. The decision will impact scores of low-income women who seek health and family planning services at the organization. Planned Parenthood representatives say that they will take legal action to prevent the defunding. “Planned Parenthood continues to serve Medicaid patients and will seek a preliminary injunction in an ongoing lawsuit filed in November 2015, following the state’s original threats to take action against Planned Parenthood’s patients,” said Yvonne Gutierrez, executive director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes. The organization has to file an appeal within the next 15 days to put the cut-off day on hold. Read more.

Missouri State Rep. Carjacked In St. Louis

Bruce Franks Jr., a recently elected Missouri state representative and Ferguson activist, found himself in a frightening situation on Monday evening in St. Louis. According to reports Franks, 32, was carjacked at gunpoint outside of a bar. Police officials say that two armed men approached him while he was sitting in his car and stole his cell phones and the vehicle. Franks was left unharmed during the incident. He took to Facebook to post about the encounter. “Some may have heard I was robbed at gun point tonite,” he wrote. “Im glad to be alive, my car and phones and stuff are replaceable! Glad to see my wife and kids…. Glad to be alive… I dont have a phone, and I am ok! Thank you Bryan Walsh for being there!”Read more.

Nina Simone To Be Honored At 2017 Special Merit Awards

The late legendary songstress Nina Simone will be honored at the 2017 Special Merit Awards. She will be one of the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Simone, who passed away in 2003, has been back in the spotlight in recent years after a handful of films about her music career were released. “This year’s Special Merit Awards recipients comprise a prestigious group of diverse and influential creators who have crafted or contributed to some of the most distinctive recordings in music history,” says President and CEO of The Recording Academy, Neil Portnow. “These exceptionally inspiring figures are being honored as legendary performers, creative architects, and technical visionaries. Their outstanding accomplishments and passion for their respective crafts have created a timeless legacy.” Other musicians that will receive the award include Shirley Caesar, Sly Stone, and Ahmad Jamal. Read more.

Business Competition Show For Black Women Comes To Centric

A new television show on Centric will give budding Black women entrepreneurs the platform to pitch their business ideas before a panel of celebrities. The show, titled Queen Boss, will be hosted by Tracey Edmonds. The panelist lineup includes Vanessa Simmons, Lauren Lake, Kandi Burruss, Carla Hall, Mikki Taylor, Lisa Price, Rakia Reynolds, Angela Benton and Robin Wilson. “It’s a reality competition show where we’ll be taking one start-up company and giving them the opportunity of a lifetime by giving them funding and invaluable advice,”said Vanessa Simmons. “I’m hoping it will start some kind of movement towards just motivating each other. We need to uplift each other and empower each other than compete.”Queen Boss is slated to premiere on Centric on January 14 at 10:00 PM ET. Read more.

Continue reading In Honor Of President’s Day, Here Are Photos That Will Make You Miss Barack Obama

In Honor Of President's Day, Here Are Photos That Will Make You Miss Barack Obama

Today is President's Day and we had to take a moment to honor our favorite president -- Barack Obama.
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Obama had many wins while he was president. He brought the Black unemployment rate for African Americans from 16.8 percent, due to the horror of President George W. Bush to 7.8 percent by January 2017. The poverty rate for African Americans fell faster in 2015 than in any year since 1999 -- falling 2.1 percentage points, resulting in 700,000 fewer African Americans in poverty.
Teen pregnancy among Black women was at an historic low with he birth rate per 1,000 African-American teen females fell from 60.4 in 2008 to 34.9 in 2014. Pell Grant funding for HBCU students increased between 2007 and 2014, growing from $523 million to $824 million. Obama banned solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prison in January of 2016, the President of ACLU said about this in 2016, “It’s absolutely huge. We rarely have presidents take notice of prison conditions.” The incarceration rates for Black men and women fell during each year of the Obama Administration and were at their lowest points in over two decades when he left office.
Not to mention, he saved our country from one of the greatest recessions since the Great Depression due to the Republican administration before him -- and now our current president tries to take all the credit.
People are so happy his legacy that the people of Los Angeles were blessed to have President Barack H. Obama Highway as in December. The Mercury News reported, "Two large, green-and-white freeway signs were unveiled Thursday, one on the right shoulder of westbound State Route 134 at the beginning of the 210 Freeway at Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena, the other at the eastbound 134 in the vicinity of Route 2 in the city of Los Angeles near Glendale."
The location was chosen because he attended Occidental College in nearby Eagle Rock from 1979-1981 when he lived in Pasadena. State Sen. Anthony Portantino said about the highway, “The president has often mentioned his fond memories of living in Pasadena and attending Occidental College, so it was very appropriate to name the portion of the freeway he traveled after him."
Mercury News confirmed, "No taxpayer dollars were used to build or erect the signs, Bischoff confirmed, adding that the cost of the two signs and labor amounted to about $5,000 and were paid for by private donations."
In honor of President's Day, check out photos of our favorite president.